Be Safe This Summer And Know Your Firework Safety Tips

The Center for Advocacy and Outreach at Blank Children's Hospital want parents and caregivers to know safety tips for fireworks before celebrating the Fourth of July holiday.

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, it's the perfect time for family barbecues, picnics and a night of fireworks. However, an average of 10,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for firework-related injuries every year, it's also a good time to review firework safety with your kids. Most injuries involve the hands, fingers and face. Even something as seemingly benign as a sparkler can be a risk since sparklers burn at 1800 degrees F; almost hold enough to melt gold.

What can you do?

If you're going to participate in using fireworks for the holiday, here are safety tips to keep in mind:

Always supervise children using sparklers, snakes or caps.

Do NOT let children under age five use sparklers.

Avoid dressing children in loose or flowing clothes.

Teach children not to wave sparklers near themselves or other people and not to run with them.

Dispose of fireworks properly; make sure they are extinguished with water.